Western Sydney Aerotropolis: Indigenous sites to ‘restrict development plans’

The future fate of current plans for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis could be hampered by significant Aboriginal heritage sites. SEE THE LATEST.

Multibillion-dollar plans to transform farmland into a bustling city for 200,000 workers at the Western Sydney Aerotropolis could be hampered by significant indigenous heritage sites at major precincts that could restrict what is allowed to be built, a new report claims.

Blueprints for the five precincts Western Sydney Airport city — which include the Aerotropolis Core, Badgerys Creek, Wianamatta-South Creek, Northern Gateway and Agribusiness precincts — are currently on exhibition with the NSW Planning.

Artist's impressions of the future Western Sydney Aerotropolis – Sydney's 'third city'. Picture: NSW Government.

However, a cultural heritage report assessing the land proposed for the new city has revealed there are four Aboriginal sites that could hamper plans within the precinct, as well as 130 potential, non-Aboriginal heritage items throughout the five precincts.

According to the report, indigenous stakeholders called for the NSW Government to preserve “a significant portion of the Cumberland Plain — particularly where original terrain, landscape and environment elements are best preserved”.

“There is a clear recognition among traditional owners and knowledge holders consulted to date for a significant portion of remnant Cumberland Plain to be retained and conserved within the Aerotropolis precincts in conditions as close to original (or) unmodified as possible,” the heritage assessor said.

Artist's impressions of the future Western Sydney Aerotropolis – Sydney's 'third city'. Picture: NSW Government. Picture: Handout via NCA NewsWire

“Ideally, this area should comprise a regional park incorporating a representative range of landforms and environments of the Cumberland Plain and the consideration of curtilage, view lines and amenity are important.

“The goal would be for a visitor to be able to experience a sense of what the Cumberland Plain was originally like.”

Six major sites of indigenous heritage significance were identified in the study, however, the NSW Government redacted the locations proposed for heritage preservation.

The Western Sydney Aerotropolis is expected to provide jobs in technology, logistics, science, creative industries and agribusiness, “within a cool, green connected environment”.

The Western Sydney Airport Metro will run through the precincts. Picture: Handout via NCA NewsWire

The 11,000ha Aerotropolis will include a core precinct surrounding a Metro station accommodating up to 60,000 jobs specialising in advanced manufacturing, research and development, professional services, creative industries and science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) focused educational facilities, as well as aerospace and defence industries.

While the Badgerys Creek precinct will be designed to support Airport operations.

The Wianamatta-South Creek precinct would have a series of parks, sporting fields, waterways, walking trails and community facilities.

Planners said the Northern Gateway was designed to become a “major Airport interface and a specialised centre linking the airport with the metropolitan cluster”.

6,500 hectares of land rezoned to provide for employment, residential and environmental uses in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, setting the State up for a strong economic recovery and paving the way for land to be developed before the first plane takes off in 2026. PIC: SUPPLIED

“It will be an employment precinct that can be easily accessed, with supporting residential areas,” the planner said. “Residential mixed use will be medium and higher density.”

With the Agribusiness precinct expected to offer logistics hubs and other agribusinesses.

“Luddenham Village will become a destination for local, regional, national and international visitors to celebrate the merging of the rich history of Western Sydney with its future state on the global stage due to the construction of the Airport,” planners said.

One Nation MLC Mark Latham questioned the government over the registered Aboriginal sites identified by redacted from the report this week, asking whether sacred trees, landforms or artefactual material were identified as within the Aerotropolis precincts.

NSW Legislative Council member Mark Latham hit out at NSW Planning over the Indigenous assessment. (AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi)

“We don’t know where these sites are located throughout the Aerotropolis plan,” Mr Latham told NewsLocal. “These are important sites, which require public awareness, and the government need to publish these — if the government know where indigenous Heritage items are then need to negotiate with property owners now.”

Mr Latham said just 132 indigenous representatives were offered the opportunity to comment on the plans, despite the indigenous population of western Sydney exceeding 60,000.

“The strategic plan for the Aerotropolis talks about it being focused on connection to country, which is incredibly disrespectful because really this plan is to wipe out Aboriginal land for massive residential and commercial hubs.”

A NSW Planning spokesman told NewsLocal the three “registered heritage items” were located in the Aerotropolis Core and Wianamatta-South Creek precincts and include scarred trees and grinding grooves.

The rezoning of the Aerotropolis Core, Badgerys Creek, Northern Gateway, Agribusiness and Wianamatta-South Creek was the catalyst for the creation of Sydney’s third city centred on a new global airport. SUPPLIED

“They were already identified from extensive previous investigations which has informed technical studies and the development of the draft precinct plans,” the spokesman said.

“The draft precinct plans do not propose any development on these registered Aboriginal sites.

“They are proposed to be protected through strategically located open space areas.”

The planner said detailed archaeological and heritage investigations will be required at the development stage for sites across the Aerotropolis that house high Aboriginal heritage sensitivity or potential non-Aboriginal heritage.